Pencil

ABSTRACT

A lead pencil having a core element providing a longitudinal duct through which sticks of writing lead may travel, a slider member disposed on the core element and having a lever portion disposed in a longitudinal slot in the core element and pivoted at a place intermediate its ends, a rotatable sleeve having a helical slot in it for receiving a part of the lever portion for moving the lever portion, while engaging a lead stick, forwardly in the duct and being of reduced width on its forward end so as to force the lever portion out of the slot, and a spring for returning the slider member and lever portion to initial positions.

United States Patent 3,408,147 10/1968 Bleuer 401/65 Primary Examiner-Lawrence Charles ABSTRACT: A lead pencil having a core element providing a longitudinal duct through which sticks of writing lead may travel, a slider member disposed on the core element and having a lever portion disposed in a longitudinal slot in the core element and pivoted at a place intermediate its ends, a rotatable sleeve having a helical slot in it for receiving a part of the lever portion for moving the lever portion, while engaging a lead stick, forwardly in the duct and being of reduced width on its forward end so as to force the lever portion out of the slot, and a spring for returning the slider member and lever portion to initial positions.

'IIIII PATENTED JUL20 I97! SHEET 2 [IF 2 PENCIL The invention relates to lead pencils and more particularly to pencils propelling a continuous series of lead sticks from the writing point.

Lead pencils of the repeating type on the market include a plurality of lead-gripping fingers at the writing point, and these fingers are opened up by a depression of a control sleeve protruding from the pencil at its top or rear end for the purpose of feeding the lead from the pencil in a step-by-step operation; and I have previously proposed, in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,408,147, issued Oct. 29, 1968, that leads be continuously propelled from the end of a pencil by lead stick gripping means located within the pencil.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an im--.

proved pencil of the latter type, which has the advantage over the step-by-step type of continuously feeding leads and which is of simpler construction as compared to the constructions shown in my US. Pat. No. 3,408,147.

The invention consists of the novel constructions and methods to be hereinafter described and claimed for carrying out the above stated objects, and such other objects, as will appear from the following description of preferred forms of the invention, illustrated with reference to the drawings, wherein:

FIG. I is a longitudinal sectional view of a pencil incorporating the principles of the invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are fragmentary sectional views on an enlarged scale of the pencil, with a lead engaging slider of the pencil being in different positions in the pencil;

FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 are sectional views on an enlarged scale taken respectively on lines 4-4, 5-5, and 6-6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the lead engaging slider;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of a core element of the pencil;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a generally helical slot formed in an actuating sleeve of the pencil;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a modification of the invention; and

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken on line 11-11 of FIG. 10.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 9, the pencil illustrated therein may be seen to comprise in general an outer casing 10, a rotatable sleeve 11 in the casing 10, and extending upwardly or rearwardly a slight distance out of the casing 10, a stationary core element 12 fixed with respect to the casing 10, a lead engaging slider 13 disposed about the core element 12, a pocket clip 14, and a spring 15.

The casing 10 is formed internally with an inner cylindrical surface 16, a conical surface 17 connected with the surface 16, a shoulder I8, and an inner cylindrical surface 19 at the forward end of the casing 10.

The sleeve I1 is formed with a slot 20 in it which is, in general, in the form of a left-handed helix. In particular, the slot 20 is formed by a left-handed helical, radially extending edge surface 21 on one side and by a left-handed helical, outwardly flaring edge surface 22 on the other side. Referring to FIG. 9, it may be seen that the radially extending edge surface 21 has a portion 21a that deviates slightly from helical and which broadens the slot 20 slightly between 0 and 180. The slot 20 is shown to extend for slightly more than L080", and 1,080 would amount to three turns about the sleeve II. The 0 position in the slot 20 is the part of the slot 20 shown in full lines in the upper right-hand pan of FIG. 3, and the L080 position in the slot 20 is the part of the slot 20 shown in full lines in the upper left-hand part of FIG. 3. The radial edge surthe surface 210. The surfaces 210 and 220 close up and reduce the width of the slot 20 at its forward end as is apparent.

The sleeve II is formed with an inwardly extending shoulder 23, and a rubber eraser 24 is disposed in the rear cnd of the sleeve 11 and is bottomed on the shoulder 23.

The core element 12 is provided with a central, longitudinally extending drilling, duct or channel 25 extending through it from one end to the other; and lead sticks 26 pass downwardly, or from the rear endto the forward end, through the channel 25. The core element I2 is formed on its outer surface with cylindrical outer parts 27 and 28, an annular boss 29, a cylindrical part 30 and a tapered tip 3]. The tip 31 is formed with three longitudinal slots 31a therein for forming three corresponding spring fingers for gripping the lead sticks 26 as they pass forwardly or downwardly in the channel 25. The cylindrical part 27 fits within the sleeve 11 and allows the sleeve 11 to rotate about it; and the boss 29 fits against the shoulder 18 in the casing 10. The cylindrical part 30 has a press fit within the cylindrical surface I9so that the core element 12 is effectively fixed within the casing 10. The upper or rear end of the core element I2 is provided with a flaring surface 32, and the surface 32 together with the sleeve II thus form a chamber Ila within which a plurality of lead sticks 26, that will eventually feed downwardly through the pencil, may be placed. The eraser 24 closes this chamber, as is apparent.

The core element 12 is formed with a longitudinally extending slot 33 therein which is in communication with the channel 25, and the slot 33 is slightly smaller in thickness than the diameter of the channel 25, so that the lead sticks 26 cannot move out of the channel 25 through the slot 33. The slot 33 terminates on its upper or rear end with an outwardly flaring cam surface 34. The core element 12 is formed with a flattencd surface 35 extending longitudinally of the core element 12.

The slider 13 comprises a flat lever portion 36 which fits in and slides in the slot 33 of the core element 12. The lever portion 36 has a single inwardly extending pointed tooth 37 on its forward end and has an outwardly extending lug or boss 38 on its rear or upper end which is adapted to be received in the slot 20. The lug 38 has a rounded outer edge 38a, and the lever portion 36 has a slanted end 39 which has substantially the same slant as the cam surface 34 and the outwardly flaring surface 22 of the slot 20. The slider 13 comprises also a flat portion 40 which rests on the flattened surface 35 of the core element I2 and comprises also a tubular portion 41 which extends around and slides on the cylindrical outer part 28 of the core element 12, the portion 40 being substantially narrower in the longitudinal direction of the core element 12 than the tubular portion 41 and connecting the lever portion 36 with the tubular portion 41 as may be seen from FIG. 7.The spring 15 extends around the cylindrical outer part 28 of the core element I2 between the boss 29 and the forward end of the tubular portion 41 of the slider 13.

The pocket clip 14 comprises a longitudinally extending clip portion 42 overlying the casing 10 and two arms 43 and 44. The arms 43 and 44 extend into two opposite slots 45 and 46 formed in the casing 10 and extend also into a peripheral groove 47 formed in the sleeve 11. The clip 14 is the subject of my copending application for Pencil Clip, Ser. No. 780,045, filed Nov. 29, 1968 (now US. Pat. No. 3,534,445).

The pencil may be assembled by first moving the slider 13 onto the core element 12 from the forward end of the-element I2 and over the cylindrical part 30 and boss 29, expanding the tubular portion 41 slightly, with the core element 12 being free of and disassembled with respect to the casing 10. The spring 15 is similarly assembled on the core element 12, and the core element 12 is then moved into the casing 10 from the rear or upper open end of the casing 10. This movement is continued until the boss 29 is in contact with the shoulder 18, and the cylindrical surface 30 then has a press fit within the cylindrical surface 19 of the casing 10, so that the core element I2 is effectively fixed within the casing 10. The sleeve 11 is then slid in place between the core element 12 and the easing 10, from the upper or rear open end of the casing 10, and I the clip 14 is expanded slightly to spring its arms 43 and 44 apart and is moved onto the casing to bring its arms 43 and 44 into the slots 45 and 46 and into the groove 47 as the arms move toward each other under the inherent spring force of the clip 14. The clip 14 thus holds the sleeve 11 in place as shown in the drawings and allows the sleeve 11 to be turned in the casing 10.

In operation, a plurality of iead sticks 26 are placed in the lead stick chamber 11a formed by the surface 32, the sleeve 11, and the eraser 24. The pencil is held in the hand with the end with the slots 31a down, and the sleeve 11 is rotated in the clockwise direction, looking down on the eraser 24, by the thumb and first finger. It may be assumed that the lug 38 is in the slot 20 and that no lead sticks 26 have yet fed through the channel 25; and, under these conditions, the tooth 37 is in the channel 25, with the end of the being adjacent the side of the channel 25 remote from the surface 35, and the lever portion 37 is rotated slightly in the counterclockwise direction as the lever portion 36 is viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3. The outermost edge 38b on the downward part of the lever portion 36 is at this time moved inwardly out of contact with the inner surface of the sleeve 11, and the portion 40 at its edge 40a is in contact with the surface 35. As the sleeve 11 is rotated under these conditions, the slider 13 moves downwardly in the pencil, between the sleeve 11 and core element 12, the slider being propelled in this manner by the lug 38 travelling in the slot 20 as the sleeve 11 is rotated. Assuming that the pencil is held nearly vertically as above described, the lead sticks 26 out of the chamber 110 follow the tooth 37, which is in the channel 25, downwardly in the channel 25.

After nearly three turns of the sleeve 11, the lug 38 reaches the inwardly flaring surfaces 210 and 220; and the surfaces 21c and 220 act on the rounded outer edge 38a of the lug 38 and cam the lug 38 out of the slot 20 as the sleeve 11 is rotated. The downward movement of the slider 13 in the pencil is, as will be understood, against the compressive action of the spring and, when the lug 38 is cammed out of the slot as just mentioned, the spring 15 snaps the slider 13 upwardly or rearwardly in the pencil, in the direction toward the end of the pencil having the eraser 24 on it. As the lug 38 is moved out of the slot 20, the whole lever portion 36 is rotated in the clockwise direction as the lever portion appears in FIGS. 2 and 3, with a flexing of the short length flat portion 40 of the slider 13. At this time, the tooth 37 is moved out of the channel 25, so that the slider 13 in its upward movement does not disturb the lead stick 26 which has been following the tooth 37 down the channel'25 or any additional lead sticks 26 that fall downwardly in the channel 25 as the tooth 37 is retracted from the channel 25.

The slider 13 in moving upwardly in the pencil moves through the position of the slider 13 as shown in FIG. 3 and moves into the position of the slider 13 shown in H6. 2 in which the slanted end 39 of the slider 13 strikes the outwardly flaring cam surface 34. The cam surface 34 acting on the slanted end 39 of the slider 13 rotates the lever portion 36 in the counterclockwise direction, as the lever portion 36 is viewed in FIG. 3, with a flexing of the flat portion 40 of the slider 13, so that the lug 38 is moved into the slot 20 and the tooth 37 is moved into the channel 25, this movement being under the actuation of the spring 15 which provides a sustained force on the slider 13 tending to move it in the upward direction in the pencil. The tooth 37, since it is a singlepointed tooth, in moving into the channel 25 splits and moves through the lead stick 26 that is beneath the tooth and separates the lead stick into two parts, one part located downwardly in the pencil with respect to the tooth 37 and the other part being located upwardly with respect to the tooth 37. The tooth thus is positioned and lies behind the upper end of the first part of the disassociated lead stick that has been split in two parts by the tooth 37 asit enters the channel 25 and is in position to propel this part of the disassociated lead stick, and any other lead sticks 26 that are in the channel 25 between the tooth 37 and the forward or lower tip of the pencil, downwardly in the channel 25. It will be noted that the forward edge of the single tooth 37 on the lower end of the lever portion 36 is radially extending so that the tooth 37 as it enters the channel 25 has no action by the movement of the tooth 37 to propel lead sticks 26 toward the tip of the pencil, and the upper edge of the tooth is slanted so that this edge may move lead sticks 26 slightly upwardly in the channel 25 as the tooth .iters the channel 25.

Continued rotation of the sleeve 11 moves the slider 13 downwardly in the pencil by virtue of the lug 38 moving in the slot 20, and the tooth 37 in abutment with a part ofa lead stick 26 moves this lead stick part and any other lead sticks 26 or pans thereof downwardly in the channel 25 so as to move lead sticks 26 forwardly through the forward pointed tip of the pencil, and the user rotates the sleeve 11 just enough to provide him with the length of additional lead that he desires at the tip of the pencil. As the rotation of the sleeve 11 continues, addi tional lead sticks 26 feed into the upper end of the channel 25 facilitated by the flaring surface 32, and finally the lug 38 will again be cammed out of the channel by the inwardly flaring surfaces 210 and 220; and the lead splitting and engaging operation of the tooth 37 will be repeated.

It may be noted that the flat portion 40 of the slider 13 may be flat in its unstressed condition or may be prestressed so as to tend to rotate the lever portion 36 counterclockwise and move the lug 38 into the slot 20. In the latter case, the rounded edge 38a of the lug ratchets with respect to the edges of the slot 20 as the slider 13 snaps upwardly under the action of the spring 15 to prevent the lug 38 from entering the slot 20 prcmaturely. The lug 38 remains in the slot 20 as the slider 13 moves downwardly in the pencil due to the tendency, if any, of the flat portion 40 in yieldably holding the lever portion 36 rotated counterclockwise and due to the location of the slot 20 in the sleeve 11 farther outwardly than the pivot points of the lever portion 36 as it rotates clockwise and counter clockwise (the lever portion 36 pivots about the edge 40a in contact with the flattened surface 35 and pivots also about the rounded edge 38c that contacts the inner surface of the sleeve 11); and the lug 38 remains in the slot 20 also due to the outwardly flaring surface 22 of the sleeve 11 coacti'ng with the slanted end 39 of the slider 13 extending in-the same direction. If desired, the surface 22 may be made to extend'radially as may the part of the lug 38 that contacts the surface 22 as the slider 13 moves downwardly in the pencil.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11 differs principally from the first form of the invention in that the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 does not split the lead prior to propelling the lead sticks 26 downwardly in the pencil but ratherjust grips the lead sticks. The slider 13a in this form of the invention is provided with a plurality or series of teeth 48 instead of a single tooth 37 and is provided with a reentry portion 49 that is in the same plane as the lever portion 36. The core element 12a corresponding to the core element 12 in the first embodiment is provided with a slot 50, and the reentry portion 49 extends into the slot 50 to a position just inside of the channel 25. in the embod tent of FIG. 10 and 11, the cam surface 34 is omitted, ar ie rear end of the slider 13a extends radially to corresponu with the radially extending end of the slot 33 that is provided in this embodiment.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 10 and 11, the flat portion 40 is prestressed so that as the slider 13a moves upwardly or rearwardly in the pencil to the limit of its mover... t, the portion 40 rotates the lever portion 36 slightly counterclockwise as seen in FIG. 10 so that the lug 38b of this embodiment enters the slot 20 slightly. Continued rotation of the sleeve 11 in this embodiment then causes the edge surface 22 of the sleeve 11 to rotate the lever portion 36 slightly more in this direction in order to cause the teeth 48 to forcefully engage a lead stick 26. A lead stick 26 is thus gripped between the teeth 48 and the reentry portion 49 of the slider 13a and is propelled downwardly through the pencil as the sleeve 11 is rotated. The

slider 13:: is cammed out of the slot 20 as with the first described embodiment and returns to its initial position which is shown in FIG. under the action of the spring 15, as with the first described embodiment.

Advantageously, the lever portion 36 in the slot 33, in both forms of the invention, provides a simple means for engaging a lead stick 26 for propelling the stick through the channel 25. In the first form of the invention, the single tooth 37 engages the trailing end of the forward part of a lead stick split in two parts as the tooth is moved forcefully into the channel 25, and no slippage between the lever portion 36 and the lead can occur.

lclaim:

l. A pencil comprising means providing a duct through which sticks of writing lead may travel toward a forward end of the duct, a lead propelling member movable longitudinally of said duct and having a pointed tooth movable into the duct from a side of the duct, means for forcefully moving said tooth into and across a major part of the diameter of said duct so as to split a stick of writing lead therein to provide a separation between forward and rear parts of the stick so split with the tooth remaining in said separation, and means for thereafter propelling said propelling member longitudinally of said duct toward the forward end thereof with said tooth remaining in the duct so that the tooth propels the forward part of the split lead stick forwardly in the duct.

2 A pencil as set forth in claim 1, said lead propelling member including a lever portion carrying said tooth, and said propelling means including a rotatable sleeve with a generally helical slot therein to receive a part of said lever portion for moving said lead propelling member longitudinally of said duct when said sleeve is rotated.

3. A pencil as set forth in claim 2, said pencil further comprising an outer casing in which said sleeve is rotatably disposed, said duct providing means including a core element disposed in said sleeve and said lead propelling member being slidably disposed on said core element.

4. A pencil as set forth in claim 3, said helical slot being formed to closeup on its forward end so as to force said lever part out of the slot as the lead propelling member completes its movement, and a spring disposed about said core element for returning said propelling member back to an initial positron.

5. A pencil as set forth in claim 4, said core element having a longitudinal slot therein and said lever portion being disposed in the slot, said slot being formed with an outwardly flaring rear end forming a cam surface so as to pivot said lever portion as it moves backwardly under the action of said spring to move said tooth into said duct to split a lead stick as aforesaid.

6. A pencil comprising an elongate core element having a longitudinal duct extending therethrough through which sticks of writing lead may travel toward a forward end of the duct and having a longitudinal slot therein in communication with the duct, a lever pivotally mounted at a place intermediate its ends in said slot and movable longitudinally of the slot, said lever having one or more teeth on one end adapted to engage a stick oflead in said duct for propelling the lead stick toward the forward end of said duct, and means acting on the other end of said lever for moving said lever toward the forward end of said slot while said tooth or teeth are engaging a lead stick so as to propel the lead stick toward the forward end of the duct.

7. A pencil as set forth in claim 6 and further comprising means for giving a return movement to said lever and including a spring effective on said lever, said means for moving said lever toward the forward end of the slot comprising a rotatable sleeve having a generally helical slot therein for receiving a rear part of said lever and said tooth or teeth being on a for.- ward part of said lever, said slot being formed to reduce in width at its forward end so as to force said lever cut of the slot as the sleeve is rotated and said spring then being operable to return said lever to an initial position.

8. A pencil as set forth in claim 7 and further comprising a slider portion partially encircling said core element and connected with said lever so as to pivotally mount the lever as aforesaid and having said spring acting on the slider portion.

9. A pencil as set forth in claim 8, said core element being formed with a second longitudinal slot therein opposite said first named slot, said slider portion having a part extending through said second slot so as to engage a lead stick on one side when teeth on said lever engage the lead stick on the other side.

10. In a method of propelling a stick of writing lead or a series of such sticks forwardly in a duct for such sticks, the method steps which comprise: moving a pointed instrument inwardly from the side into said duct so that the point splits one of the lead sticks in two to provide a separation between the forward and rearward parts of the stick so split, and then moving said pointed instrument forwardly in said duct while remaining in said separation and while engaging the trailing end of the forward part of the lead stick so split so as to propel forwardly in said duct this lead stick part and any other lead sticks or parts thereof ahead of this lead stick part in said duct.

11. A method of propelling writing lead as set forth in claim 10 and including the additional method steps of withdrawing said pointed instrument from said duct after it has completed a working stroke in propelling lead sticks forwardly in said duct, returning the pointed instrument back along the duct to an initial position, and again moving said pointed instrument into said duct as aforesaid. 

1. A pencil comprising means providing a duct through which sticks of writing lead may travel toward a forward end of the duct, a lead propelling member movable longitudinally of said duct and having a pointed tooth movable into the duct from a side of the duct, means for forcefully moving said tooth into and across a major part of the diameter of said duct so as to split a stick of writing lead therein to provide a separation between forward and rear parts of the stick so split with the tooth remaining in said separation, and means for thereafter propelling said propelling member longitudinally of said duct toward the forward end thereof with said tooth remaining in the duct so that the tooth propels the forward part of the split lead stick forwardly in the duct.
 2. A pencil as set forth in claim 1, said lead propelling member including a lever portion caRrying said tooth, and said propelling means including a rotatable sleeve with a generally helical slot therein to receive a part of said lever portion for moving said lead propelling member longitudinally of said duct when said sleeve is rotated.
 3. A pencil as set forth in claim 2, said pencil further comprising an outer casing in which said sleeve is rotatably disposed, said duct providing means including a core element disposed in said sleeve and said lead propelling member being slidably disposed on said core element.
 4. A pencil as set forth in claim 3, said helical slot being formed to close up on its forward end so as to force said lever part out of the slot as the lead propelling member completes its movement, and a spring disposed about said core element for returning said propelling member back to an initial position.
 5. A pencil as set forth in claim 4, said core element having a longitudinal slot therein and said lever portion being disposed in the slot, said slot being formed with an outwardly flaring rear end forming a cam surface so as to pivot said lever portion as it moves backwardly under the action of said spring to move said tooth into said duct to split a lead stick as aforesaid.
 6. A pencil comprising an elongate core element having a longitudinal duct extending therethrough through which sticks of writing lead may travel toward a forward end of the duct and having a longitudinal slot therein in communication with the duct, a lever pivotally mounted at a place intermediate its ends in said slot and movable longitudinally of the slot, said lever having one or more teeth on one end adapted to engage a stick of lead in said duct for propelling the lead stick toward the forward end of said duct, and means acting on the other end of said lever for moving said lever toward the forward end of said slot while said tooth or teeth are engaging a lead stick so as to propel the lead stick toward the forward end of the duct.
 7. A pencil as set forth in claim 6 and further comprising means for giving a return movement to said lever and including a spring effective on said lever, said means for moving said lever toward the forward end of the slot comprising a rotatable sleeve having a generally helical slot therein for receiving a rear part of said lever and said tooth or teeth being on a forward part of said lever, said slot being formed to reduce in width at its forward end so as to force said lever cut of the slot as the sleeve is rotated and said spring then being operable to return said lever to an initial position.
 8. A pencil as set forth in claim 7 and further comprising a slider portion partially encircling said core element and connected with said lever so as to pivotally mount the lever as aforesaid and having said spring acting on the slider portion.
 9. A pencil as set forth in claim 8, said core element being formed with a second longitudinal slot therein opposite said first named slot, said slider portion having a part extending through said second slot so as to engage a lead stick on one side when teeth on said lever engage the lead stick on the other side.
 10. In a method of propelling a stick of writing lead or a series of such sticks forwardly in a duct for such sticks, the method steps which comprise: moving a pointed instrument inwardly from the side into said duct so that the point splits one of the lead sticks in two to provide a separation between the forward and rearward parts of the stick so split, and then moving said pointed instrument forwardly in said duct while remaining in said separation and while engaging the trailing end of the forward part of the lead stick so split so as to propel forwardly in said duct this lead stick part and any other lead sticks or parts thereof ahead of this lead stick part in said duct.
 11. A method of propelling writing lead as set forth in claim 10 and including the additional method steps of withdrawing said pointed instrument from said duct after it has completed a working stroke in prOpelling lead sticks forwardly in said duct, returning the pointed instrument back along the duct to an initial position, and again moving said pointed instrument into said duct as aforesaid. 